Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-30
GERlZIM,S PASSOVER.
The Only Eebraic Sacrifice Now Rever-
entity Observed.
IPittsburg Dispatch !

emily Observed.
[Pittsburg Dispatchl
With the setting OF the sun Friday even
ing commenced the Hebrew Passover 1t
is interesting TO learn how, even to this
day, the beginning of the week is observed
in the East by the Samaritans who still
live near the Mount Gerizim
The whole community amounting to
about one hundred and fifty-two, from
which hardly any variation has taken
place within the memory of man, are en-
camped on the day of the full moon of the
month of Nisan, i'll tents on a level space,
few hundred yards below the actual sum-
nit of the mountain. This place is Sc
lected on account of its comparative shell
ter and seclusiOn, for few are they who can
be present at this celebration if they are of
other denomination, and although travel
ers in this community are allowed to OBJ
serve part of the ceremony they are rigidly
excluded from the other While the men
assemble in sacred costume on the rocky
terrace the women are shut up in tents.
About half hour before sunset the
whole male community, atlired in long
white robes, gather round long trough
that has been previously dug in the
ground, and the priest, ascending large
rough stone in front of the congregation,
recites in loud chant, in which others
join, prayers or praises, chiefly turning on
the glories of Abraham and Isaac Their
attitude is like that of all tie Orientals in
prayer, standing, occasionally diversified
by stretching out the hands, and more
rarely kneeling OF crouching, with faces
wrapped in their clothes and bent TO the
ground, toward the Holy Place on the
summit of Gerizim. The priest recites his
prayers by heart, the others have books in
Hebrew or Arabic.
Suddenly there appear among the wor-
shippers six sheep, driven up by the side of
six youths dressed in white shirts and
white drawers. The sun, which has been
Furnishing up the Mediterranean in the
distance, now sinks to the furthest western
ridge overhanging the plain of Sharon.
The recitation becomes more vehement
The priest turns about, facing his brethren.
and the whole history of the exodus, from
the beginning OF the plaques OF Egypt, is
rapidly, almost turiously, Chanted. The
sheep, which are innoeently playing aEong
the congregation, are now driven more
closely together The sun is touching the
western ridge, when the youths burst into
wild murrnur of their own, draw forth
their long bright knives and branGish them
alott. In a moment the sheer are thrown
on their backs, and the flashing knives rap
idly drawn across their throais Then
lew convulsive but silent struggles, and the
six forms lay hfeless on the ground. the
blood streaming from them; the one only
Hebraic sacrifice lingering in the world.
In the blood the young men dip their
fingers, and small spot is marked on the
toreheads and noses of the children.
The sheep are then fleeced and roasted in
an oven, a deep circular pit sunk in the
earth, with a fire kindled at the bottom. It
is now midnight. The paschal moon is
still bright and high in the heavens. The
whole male community are gathered around
the mouth OF the oven. Suddenly the
covering of the hole is torn off and up rises
into the still moonlight sky vast column
OF smoke and steam. Out of the pit are
dragged the six sheep, black from the oven.
They are hOisted aloft and then thrown on
large square brown mats. The bodies thus
wrapped in the mats are hurried down to
the trenches where the sacrifice has taken
place and laid out upon them in line be-
tween two piles of the Samaritans. In ad-
dition now to the white robes shoes are on
the feet of the men and slaves in their
hands and ropes around their waists. This
is to represent the preparation of the Israeli
ties on the night OF the exodus. The meal
is eaten with merriment. In ten minutes
all is gone but a few remnants. These are
gathered and thrown on the fires, which
again blaze on high, and then sinking away
the dying embers proclaim the end of the
ceremony Quietly each turns and seek
him home in the town at the foot Of the
mountain.